2 days Ago By [email protected] (Ian Doyle)
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk spoke to the ECHO after the 2-0 win over Aston Villa that opened up a five-point gap on second-placed Manchester City Five points clear at the Premier League summit, top of the Champions League table, into the League Cup quarter-finals and all while still adapting to the demands of a first new boss in almost a decade. But there's a very good reason why feet remain planted firmly on the ground among the Liverpool squad. Memories are fresh of the quadruple challenge of last season that fell away during the closing weeks, most notably a championship challenge that faltered with the finishing line in sight.
But whereas that was a more hopeful tilt from a Reds side that had failed in the previous season to even finish in the top four, this time around there is a greater weight of expectation despite long-time manager Jurgen Klopp having been replaced by Arne Slot during the summer. The faces in the dugout may have changed, but those on the field largely have not. And for skipper Virgil van Dijk, the hugely disappointing experience towards the end of the last campaign cannot be allowed to count for nothing.
"We should have learned from last year," he says. "If you don't learn then it doesn't bring you any further. We're only in November but I see us dealing with difficult moments pretty well.
"We had a couple of games where we bounced back after going behind. The mentality of the boys to turn it around was amazing. "Maybe towards the end of a season the pressure is higher.
Then everyone has to be there and step up. I can't predict how the last part of the season will go. But so far, so good.
"For me it's quite easy to say, but I just want to enjoy it. Go out there, all of us are privileged and blessed to be playing for Liverpool and have players around you with so much quality. Let's see what it brings.
" The looming presence of long-time foes Manchester City is good reason for cool heads. While City tumbled to a fourth successive defeat with a 2-1 reverse at Brighton shortly before Liverpool downed Aston Villa 2-0 on Saturday evening, the Reds know how Pep Guardiola's side traditional come on strong after Christmas despite their recent wobble raising hope among Liverpool fans. "Listen, we can't deny that," admits Van Dijk about the increased belief among supporters.
"Their (City's) result was announced in the stadium. But it's still so early in the season. We've seen them over the years put together crazy runs of winning games and being so consistent.
"Now they have some injuries and are in a bit of a difficult period but things can turn quickly. We shouldn't focus on any of that and I don't think we do. That's something we can't control.
" Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah struck in each half against a Villa side who made life difficult for Liverpool and were always a threat on the counter-attack. "We had to be very patient," says Van Dijk. "At times when either myself or Ibou (Konate) had the ball they wouldn't press, they would wait as they didn't want us to play around them quickly.
That was part of their gameplan and I thought we did very well. "Doing it just before the international break, finishing off a difficult run of games on a high with a 2-0 win, good performance, clean sheet, it's very pleasing. "It creates a solid foundation for after the break.
Hopefully everyone comes back fit and healthy and ready to kick on." The patience shown by Liverpool to eke out the win was further evidence of the control they are attempting to impose on games rather than be reliant on whirlwind late finishes, as became the norm last term. "When you win games in the last minute it's quite nice as well!" smiles Van Dijk.
"You think of the scenes when we played Villa away a few years ago and Sadio (Mane) scored. Or Wolves away (in 2021/22). But you want to control games in a better way and we did that well against Villa.
"We kept the ball. They were maybe a bit tired and their press was not the best towards the end. It's about finding the right and the spare man.
Let them run. You can speak about it but to actually do it under pressure is difficult. We'll keep working on that.
" Salah, who set up Nunez's opener, became the first player in Europe's leading leagues to reach 10 goals and 10 assists for the campaign. Like Van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold - who will have scans on the injury that forced him off during the first half on Saturday - the Egyptian is at present set to leave on a free transfer next summer unless a new contract can be agreed, although there are suggestions talks could be ramped up during the international break. And Van Dijk says of Salah: "Special player.
He's been like that for so many years, not just this year. I see the hard work he puts in on a daily basis. "It's how consistent he is, especially with his numbers but with his performances as well.
He's a special athlete, a special player and a legend of the club. I'm very pleased that we still share a pitch together." While Salah turns 33 next June, Slot is convinced the forward can continue to operate at the top level for several more years.
And Van Dijk is in agreement. "Physically, I can definitely see that happening," he says. "Mentally, that's in his hands.
With certain players, you see how they keep playing at the highest level. He's definitely one of them." And what of Van Dijk himself? "I definitely feel it from the mental side!" he laughs.
"Physically I feel absolutely fine. Let's see what the future brings." For Van Dijk and Liverpool, it continues to look bright.
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